The Fellowship of Sosaria - Dromana: Beyond the Horizon

Dromana: Beyond the Horizon

Note: This story does not literally follow the timeline or events of the Ultima saga, particularly what happened in the final part of Ultima IX: Ascension, but rather contemplates an alternative parallel story in space-time not written in the original history of the saga.

Castle Britannia

Since Armageddon happened and everything was restored afterwards, I noticed that you changed, you were secretive about this subject and never wanted to say anything. -Dupre said-

It's been a long time since then. What really happened? -Dupre asked-

This event affected me deeply, the helplessness of seeing that I couldn't prevent what happened and what came next. -replied The True Avatar-

It's been a long time, and I feel that today I can answer your question. -said The True Avatar-

When Lord British and I performed the Armageddon ritual with the aim of destroying The Guardian, we fell into a trap and the Barrier of Life didn't work. -said The True Avatar-

When the ritual was manipulated without our knowledge, its destructive power turned back on us like a boomerang. -said The True Avatar-

We could see before our eyes how everything was being destroyed without the protective barrier of Barrier of Life having any effect. -said The True Avatar-

At that moment, I wondered if the mantra had been pronounced correctly or if something had been manipulated incorrectly. Only later did we discover that it was a trap set by The Guardian, thus saving his existence. -said The True Avatar-

With a trembling voice, eyes brimming with tears, and a deep sadness as he recalled that moment, The True Avatar said 'We could do nothing but watch as everything we loved was destroyed in its path.'

Seeing The True Avatar's distress, Dupre looked at him and put his hand on his shoulder, empathizing with him to calm him down.

When we saw the destructive power of Armageddon returning towards us, a white moongate opened before us. We were both stunned. We didn't understand who had done that or where it would take us, but we had no choice. It was either enter the moongate or be destroyed by the spell returning towards us. -said The True Avatar-

In a moment of desperation due to the situation, he made us decide to enter the white moongate hastily without thinking about the consequences and where it would take us. -said The True Avatar.-

When we crossed the moongate, a strange world we had never seen before appeared before our eyes. -said The True Avatar-

Dromana

Part I: The Mystical Woman of the Forest

An amazing forest, with giant trees and brightly colored, fluorescent flying insects all around.

The True Avatar and Lord British looked at each other in surprise.

As they crossed the moongate, it closed instantly.

No! -cried Lord British in an act of desperation and mixed feelings, both because he had been saved and because Sosaria had been devastated-

Lord British gestured wildly.

Where are we? -said Lord British-

I don't know, but I sense that this place is very far from Sosaria. We are on another planet, I would even say a different universe, judging by the planets I can see in the sky. -says The True Avatar-

We're trapped here! -says Lord British, still upset by what has happened-

For some reason, someone wanted to save us. They knew we were in danger and took us away from Sosaria to prevent us from dying too. -says The True Avatar-

What do we do now? -says Lord British-

For starters, let's calm down. We're upset by what has happened. -says The True Avatar-

Sit on that rock and just breathe. I'll go explore the area. -said The True Avatar-

The True Avatar explores the surroundings and hears music playing in the background.

The True Avatar returns to Lord British and says, 'I heard something. Get up, let's go.'

The True Avatar and Lord British walk through the forest toward the music.

Lord British waves his arms to ward off insects.

Don't worry, those insects won't hurt you. They seem to be in a mode of goodness, just watching and following us, not trying to do us any harm. -said The True Avatar-

The True Avatar and Lord British find a woman dressed in white, singing and playing an instrument.

The vibration of her voice, together with the instruments, caused the insects to fly and float in a different way, as if carried by a mystical current.

The True Avatar and Lord British are amazed and silent when they see the woman.

The woman, with her eyes closed, continues singing, unaffected by their presence.

When Lord British was about to speak, The True Avatar raised his arm as a gesture to remain silent, so that he would only watch attentively.

The woman, sensing Lord British's unease, stopped the music and opened her eyes.

I am Lord British, King of Britannia. -said Lord British-

The woman nodded cordially.

We would like to know where we are and who we can speak to. -said Lord British-

But the woman did not respond, simply watching them.

She doesn't understand us; she doesn't speak our language. -said The True Avatar-

Lord British insists and repeats that he is the king and asks where they are.

Don't insist, she doesn't understand us. -said The True Avatar-

Then what do we do now! -said Lord British, looking at The True Avatar with irritation-

The woman offered Lord British a fruit the size of a plum with a smile.

Lord British, upset, did not reach out to accept the fruit.

It could be contaminated, we don't know where we are or who she is. -said Lord British angrily-

What you're doing is offensive. She seems kind and senses that you're upset. She's simply offering you some fruit to calm you down. You don't have to eat it if you don't want to. -said The True Avatar-

The True Avatar reaches out and accepts the fruit from the woman.

The True Avatar bows with his hand, and the woman smiles at them.

The woman extends her arm and points in a direction.

In the direction she was pointing, a mountain and a temple on its summit could be seen, as the trees blocked the horizon.

The True Avatar looks at the woman and puts his hand to his heart in a gesture of gratitude.

Let's go to that place and see if we can find some answers there. -said The True Avatar-

Part II: The Road to the Temple

The True Avatar and Lord British follow the directions given by the woman.

As they advance, they come across a river that runs through the forest.

I'm hungry and thirsty, and I'm a little exhausted by the situation. -said Lord British-

Eat the fruit the woman gave us, it will do you good. -said The True Avatar-

Lord British, suspicious of the fruit, says 'You try it first.'

The True Avatar eats a little and says 'It's sweet and has a smooth texture.'

Seeing that nothing happens to The True Avatar, Lord British accepts the fruit and eats it, staining his hands.

Lord British approaches the river to wash his hands.

While washing his hands, the fruit juice caused a ring to slip off his finger as he rubbed his hands together in the water.

My ring! -cries Lord British as he watches the ring being carried away by the current toward the middle of the river-

Unaware of the danger posed by the river's speed and depth, Lord British attempts to enter the river.

The True Avatar grabbed him and said 'Stop! If you go into the river, you could be swept away by the current.'

It's the ring of the kingdom of Britannia! -Lord British said angrily to The True Avatar-

But your life is worth more than a ring, no matter how valuable or important it may be. -replied The True Avatar-

Lord British understood and relaxed.

We must continue. I see some rocks over there that we can use to cross the river. -said The True Avatar-

After walking for a while and crossing part of the forest, they found a village.

Upon entering the village, they could see the simple surroundings, with huts and villagers, most of whom were barefoot, wearing few clothes, and some of whom had their faces painted.

When The True Avatar and Lord British entered the village, the villagers approached them to touch them and bow to them.

Lord British took out a small bag of gold coins and began to give them coins.

When he ran out of coins and did not understand why they did not leave when he gave them coins, he felt distressed and began to wave his arms to drive them away.

The True Avatar, noticing that Lord British was waving his arms, said 'Don't do that. Have respect for the residents. They are amazed by our appearance and clothing, which is why they approach us and some touch us. Hold on to my back and look at the ground if you feel uncomfortable. I will lead the way.'

Lord British put his hands on The True Avatar's back and looked at the ground.

The True Avatar, bowing reverently to the villagers, slowly made his way through the small village.

How dirty and smelly this village is. -said Lord British, complaining-

That's normal. In Britain, the streets are mainly paved with stone, you don't find so many animals around, and there is a sewage system (referring to Britain Sewers). -said The True Avatar-

But you shouldn't limit yourself to what you feel through your physical senses. Look at their resilience in living this way, the joy on their faces. Even though they have nothing, they have everything. -said The True Avatar-

Did you notice their eyes? -asked The True Avatar-

Yes, why? -replied Lord British-

Neither gold, nor platinum, nor gems surpass the sparkle of their divine eyes. There is no wealth in the world with which you can buy the purity and goodness that is in their gaze. -said The True Avatar-

They did not want your gold; they only approached us like children in their innocence, surprised by our arrival and amazed by our appearance. -said The True Avatar-

Lord British remained silent, ashamed of having been rude to the villagers.

They continued through the forest toward the mountain when an unexpected monkey-like creature jumped from branch to branch, passed over Lord British, and took his crown.

The creature perched on the tree and looked at the crown, playing with it.

My crown! -cried Lord British, enraged-

The creature put the crown on its head and stared at Lord British as he shouted.

Damn monkey, or whatever you are! -shouted Lord British-

Do something, The True Avatar! -exclaimed Lord British-

I don't have any fruit to distract or barter with the creature, and it's high enough that by the time I reach it, it will have jumped from branch to branch. -said The True Avatar-

But it's the crown of Britannia! -exclaimed Lord British-

I'm sorry, Lord British, I understand how you feel, but we need to continue. We need answers. We need to know why the ritual failed, who opened a moongate to save us, and how to return to Sosaria. -said The True Avatar-

The True Avatar and Lord British continued walking, and when the creature saw them leaving, it dropped the crown on the ground.

Part III: The Temple of Enlightenment

The True Avatar and Lord British climbed the mountainside and saw a total of 320 stone steps leading up to the temple.

Seeing the size of each stone step and the height they had to climb to reach the temple, The True Avatar and Lord British were amazed.

I'm exhausted from everything that's happened. I don't know if I can climb all that. I don't know what we're doing here. We've let ourselves be led by a woman who doesn't even speak our language. I don't know if any of this makes sense. I'm sick of it all. -said Lord British angrily-

Following this path has only resulted in me losing valuable items, smelling bad odors, and being groped and humiliated by a monkey-like creature. -said Lord British, tired and angry-

You must remain calm. Everything that has happened is painful for me too, drifting without knowing what awaits us in a completely unknown place. -said The True Avatar-

But we can't give up now, after everything we've been through. We need answers. We need to find a way back to Sosaria. -said The True Avatar excitedly-

We must control our emotions, otherwise we will not be able to climb. Our minds must be above our bodily senses if we want to reach the summit. -said The True Avatar-

Lord British understood The True Avatar's words and nodded silently.

The True Avatar and Lord British began climbing the steps.

Little by little, they climbed until they reached step 108, where The True Avatar stopped.

What happened? Why did you stop? -asked Lord British-

I sense something from this step, like an energy that envelops the environment. -replied The True Avatar-

Lord British, with his physical senses, did not perceive anything and did not give importance to what The True Avatar was saying.

As they climbed the steps, Lord British began to feel increasingly exhausted, and the clothes he was wearing began to weigh him down. But the effect of the heavy clothes did not affect The True Avatar.

As they continued climbing, physical exhaustion became noticeable for both of them.

I feel weighed down by the clothes I'm wearing. I'm exhausted. -said Lord British-

It's the energy that surrounds the environment, like a spell for those who try to climb. -said The True Avatar-

Take off any clothes that are unnecessary. -said The True Avatar-

Lord British understood, took off his robe, left it on the stairs, and they continued climbing the steps.

At step 265, the wind began to pick up and the steps were becoming increasingly deteriorated.

Avatar, I'm exhausted, I feel like I'm going to faint and I'm having trouble breathing. -said Lord British-

Come, I will carry you. Climb onto my back. -said The True Avatar-

As he carried the weight of Lord British, thus sparing him the process of climbing to the top, The True Avatar began to subtly notice some additional effects of exhaustion that corresponded to Lord British.

The True Avatar, with Lord British behind him, continued to slowly climb the steps.

Not much further now. Focus on your breathing and ignore what your body is feeling. -said The True Avatar-

Lord British rested his head on The True Avatar's back and fell asleep from exhaustion.

On the 300th step, The True Avatar, exhausted, carefully laid Lord British down on the steps and, holding him with one hand so he wouldn't fall, sat down to try to regain his energy.

How is it possible that the transitory can have such an effect on what is real and objective? -said The True Avatar, meditating aloud-

The True Avatar stared at the horizon for a few moments.

Not much further now. -said The True Avatar aloud to himself-

The True Avatar stood up carefully, hoisted Lord British back onto his back, and continued climbing the steps.

The wind was strong at that height, and there was a risk of falling.

Finally, they reached the last step.

Wake up, we're here. -said The True Avatar-

What happened? I fell asleep. -asked Lord British-

The energy that enveloped the environment had an effect on our bodies, and you fell asleep from exhaustion. -replied The True Avatar-

The True Avatar and Lord British looked ahead and saw a temple that conveyed stillness, formed by four blocks of six columns each, making a total of twenty-four stone columns in a row, each meticulously carved to represent deities. Above the twenty-four columns was a stone ceiling that seemed to tell stories in subtle reliefs, as if the memory of the deities and rituals were engraved there.

Before entering the temple, there were four stone steps. On the right side was a small fountain with water, and on the left side was a small brazier with a flame that remained still despite the breeze.

Let's leave our shoes here before continuing. -said The True Avatar-

What if they take my boots? -asked Lord British, remembering what happened with the creature that took his crown-

If your boots are taken here, it would truly be a blessing for you. -replied The True Avatar-

Lord British did not understand the depth of the words that The True Avatar wanted to convey to him.

But why do we leave our shoes here? -asked Lord British, uneasy-

Physically, so as not to contaminate the temple with the dirt on our shoes; subtly, as a gesture of humility and respect. -replied The True Avatar-

The True Avatar and Lord British walked toward the entrance of the temple.

Come. -said The True Avatar-

The True Avatar took a spoon from the small fountain and put a little water in his hand to clean it, then cleaned the other. He then put a few drops of water on his hand and touched his brow and the top of his head with that water.

Next, The True Avatar used the spoon to pour a few drops of water on Lord British's hands and put some water on Lord British's brow and the top of his head.

Let's go to the brazier. -said The True Avatar-

Lord British silently followed him.

The True Avatar placed the palm of his hand over the flame of the brazier, and when he felt the heat, he brought his hand to his brow and the top of his head.

Do the same. -said The True Avatar-

Lord British repeated what The True Avatar had done.

Why are we doing all this? -asked Lord British-

Physically, they are drops of water that we have placed on our hands, between our eyebrows, and on our heads, as well as heat on both sides, but we have subtly purified our body, mind, and true self so that we can receive and perceive transcendental knowledge. -said The True Avatar-

Let's go up to the temple. -said The True Avatar-

The True Avatar and Lord British climbed the four stone steps and entered the temple.

The breeze blew between the stone columns.

It's amazing. -said The True Avatar, observing the columns-

At the back was a room, octagonal in shape, the first part of which was accessed through the columns.

The True Avatar and Lord British walked to the back and entered the room.

Inside the room, there were eight beings sitting on the floor in a meditative state with their eyes closed, with a white aura shining around their bodies, invisible to material eyes but visible to transcendental eyes.

The True Avatar bowed completely, touching the ground with his hands, forehead, knees, and feet as a symbol of humility and absolute respect.

When The True Avatar stood up, his eyes filled with tears as he saw the purity and transcendence of these beings.

Lord British broke the silence and said 'I am Lord British, King of Britannia.'

Here, fame, prestige, recognition—all of that is worthless in this place. -said The True Avatar quietly upon hearing Lord British-

One of the beings opened its eyes and said 'We know why you are here and what happened in Sosaria.'

Do you speak our language? -said Lord British in surprise-

We can speak all the languages that have existed, exist, and may come to exist in creation. -replied the being-

How can you know all that? -asked Lord British-

Living entities absorbed in the pleasures of the senses and the outside world have forgotten their relationship with the Supreme Energy. -replied the being-

But those who, through control of the senses, turn their attention away from the outside world and focus it inward, gradually remember their relationship with the Supreme Energy. -said the being-

The Supreme Energy is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, and those who, as described above, are in conscious connection with the Supreme Energy, have access to that omniscience. -said the being-

Where are we? -asked The True Avatar-

In Dromana, a planet that belongs to one of the eight universes that make up all of creation. -replied the being-

You said earlier that you knew what happened in Sosaria. Why did the Armageddon ritual fail and why didn't the Barrier of Life protection work? -said The True Avatar-

The Guardian manipulated the ritual to save his own existence. -replied the being-

Can you do anything to bring the creatures and inhabitants of Sosaria back to life? -asked The True Avatar-

Yes. -replied the being-

We beg you to restore life to Sosaria, to bring the inhabitants and all creatures back to life. -said The True Avatar-

The being closed its eyes, and the eight began to chant a mantra.

When they finished the mantra, the being opened its eyes and said 'Everyone has been brought back to life as they were before Armageddon, but the environment has been devastated by Armageddon.'

Thank you. -said The True Avatar with a bow-

Can you send us back to Sosaria? -asked The True Avatar-

Yes, stand in the center and we will teleport you. -replied the being-

Come on, Lord British, we must gather our companions (Dupre, Geoffrey, Iolo, Jaana, Julia, Katrina, Mariah, and Shamino) to restore order. -said The True Avatar-

As The True Avatar walked toward the center, Lord British remained still.

Come on, let's go back to Sosaria. -said The True Avatar-

No, I feel I must stay here. I have many questions and I need answers. This place has made me realize my impurities, my shortcomings, and I need to change all that in order to return. -said Lord British-

Only then, when I have achieved perfection, will I be ready to return as the king of Britannia. -said Lord British-

The True Avatar nodded, understanding Lord British's decision.

Avatar, I am sorry for committing so many offenses and acting this way. Thank you for everything you have done for me. -said Lord British-

The True Avatar smiled at Lord British as a gesture that all was well and that he understood.

I am ready. -said The True Avatar-

In a mystical way, an energy could be felt throughout the room, and small luminous particles began to swirl around the center where The True Avatar stood.

The True Avatar tilted his head upward and said, “It is time to restore order.”

Castle Britannia

And my body dematerialized from Dromana and materialized here, in Sosaria. -said The True Avatar-

Everything you've told me is amazing. -said Dupre-

Do you think Lord British will ever return? -asked Dupre-

I don't know, but what I do know is that if he ever does return, nothing will ever be the same again. -replied The True Avatar-

End